Public Statements

Issue Position: Homeland Security

Issue Position

Knowing the impact the attacks of September 11, 2001, had on our communities, Rep. Frelinghuysen believes there is no higher priority than ensuring our families, neighborhoods, schools and businesses are safe. That is why he continues to fight to provide full support for our police officers, firefighters and first aid squads. In addition, he continues to advocate for fortifying our nation against bioterrorism and better securing our ports, harbor tunnels, mass transit lines, and road networks.

To protect our ports, the Congressman believes it is absolutely necessary that our government know exactly who is in charge of securing our ports, managing our terminals, and moving cargo in and out of our nation. With this in mind, the Congressman introduced legislation requiring all federal port security grant programs to be permanently distributed according to "risk", as opposed to political judgments. For example, the Congressman and his colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee took the first legislative action to prevent the Port of New York and New Jersey and five other major ports from being taken over by Dubai Ports World, a United Arab Emirates owned company. Their action blocked acquisition by DP World and forced the firm to give up its stake in terminal operations at some U.S. ports.

At the urging of Rep. Frelinghuysen and the 9/11 Commission, the Department of Homeland Security has started to change the complicated and irrational way federal homeland security funds have been distributed to high-threat, high density areas since September 11, 2001. Greater focus on risk and vulnerability increases the likelihood that New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country, will receive more security funds to protect our citizens, airports, seaports, tunnels, and bridges.

As an advocate for greater security in the northern New Jersey/New York metropolitan area, Frelinghuysen has taken several additional steps to strengthen our homeland security, including:* Authoring the Smarter Funding for All of America's Security Act, which strictly adheres to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations for changing the federal homeland security funding formula to address critical infrastructure, population density and unique security risks in New Jersey and other high threat areas.* Authoring legislation requiring all maritime port security grants to be distributed according to "the risks and vulnerabilities of ports and the proximity of ports to critical infrastructure or urban or sensitive areas."* Successfully fighting to ensure New Jersey's high threat, high density areas, including large portions of the 11th Congressional District, receive their fair share of security funding under DHS's Urban Area Security Initiative.* Implementing many of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to reform our government's intelligence capabilities and better protecting our nation against future terrorist threats.* Introducing legislation to include New Jersey's Task Force One - a team of very specialized, highly trained, well equipped responders - as part of FEMA's National* Fighting for more grants to support our county and municipal law enforcement, EMS and fire fighters.